


A Little Help

by Malana



Category: Sports Night
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-19
Updated: 2010-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-13 19:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/140662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malana/pseuds/Malana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Casey has decided there are some areas in which Dan cannot be left to his own devices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Help

**Author's Note:**

  * For [slybrunette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/slybrunette/gifts).



"Why not?" Casey asked.

"Besides the fact that you're wrong?"

"I'm not wrong, but sure, besides that."

"Because there's a code."

Casey looked across the office to where his friend sat, repeatedly tossing a baseball into the air.

"I really don't think there's a code," Casey maintained.

"How do you not know about the code?" Dan asked.

Casey sighed. "It's not that I don't know about the code, it's that I don't think it applies."

Dan stopped tossing the ball, looking at Casey in confusion. "How does it not apply? This is exactly the situation in which it _does_ apply. How does it not apply?"

"Because we're not 20-year-old frat boys?" Casey suggested.

"There's not an age limitation on the code, Casey. Jeremy is my friend."

"And he and Natalie broke up a over a year ago, and he's dated at least two other women since then, one of whom he currently seems quite happy with. Jeremy’s not the kind of guy who’d stand in your way just because he and Natalie used to date. Not if you’re really in love with her."

Dan was quite for a moment before he straightened up in his chair and began to type on his computer, focusing intently on the screen.

When it became apparent he wasn’t going to reply, Casey raised an eyebrow. “So, what, you’re ignoring me now?”

Dan nodded, not looking up from his screen. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

“Because I made a good point?”

“Because I’m done with this conversation.”

Casey rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue, instead turning his attention to his own computer. “Okay. Fine. Whatever you want.” He didn’t get more than two sentences written before Dan spoke again.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter if it’s against the code or not. Though, let’s be clear that there definitely is a code and this would definitely be breaking it. But that’s not the point.”

Casey smiled to himself a little as he watched his friend jump to his feet and begin to pace their office.

“Okay then, Danny. Why don’t you tell me what the point is?"

“The point,” Dan began, waving a finger in Casey’s direction. The point is that you’re wrong. Not about the code-well you are wrong about that, but it’s not what I mean-I mean the other thing.”

Casey leaned back in his chair. “And what would that other thing be?”

Dan stopped pacing for a moment, giving his friend an exasperated look. “I’m not in love with Natalie!”

“How long have we been friends, Dan?”

Dan let out a snort. “Too long, apparently.”

Casey was unfazed. “I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at her lately. And I’ve seen the way you’ve been acting around her.”

Dan wrinkled his brow, sitting back down. “What are you talking about? I’ve been acting the way I always act.”

“No,” Casey said with a shake of his head.

“Then how have I been acting?” Dan asked.

“Like a love-struck moron.”

“I have not!” Dan protested.

“Like a little boy. If she wore a ponytail you probably would have yanked it.”

“You’re wrong. I’m not in love with Natalie. I haven’t been acting weird around her. And even if I were in love with her, I’m charming and suave when it comes to wooing women.”

“No.”

“You know, I don’t understand why you’re pushing this whole thing anyway. I don’t go interfering in your love life."

Casey’s jaw dropped slightly at that, before he let out a laugh. “You interfere with my love life all the time!”

Dan opened his mouth as if to argue, then shrugged. “Okay, you may have a point there. But you’re still wrong about Natalie.”

“What about me is Casey wrong about?”

Dan and Casey both jumped at the sound of Natalie’s voice, turning to see her standing in the doorway, a tape in her hand.

The guys exchanged looks, thinking fast for an excuse.

“Casey thinks your birthday is next week.”

“Dan says it’s not.” Casey continued the lie.

“It’s not for another four months,” Dan offered.

“Then whose is next week?” Casey asked, pretending to think about it.

Natalie shook her head. “Nobody’s birthday is next week.”

Dan smiled. “To be fair, Natalie, _somebody_ probably has a birthday next week. Several people, I would imagine.”

Natalie shot him a sarcastic smile, rolling her eyes. “I meant nobody who works on the show.”

“Huh,” Casey said. “Guess I’m just confused.”

Natalie narrowed her eyes, sure there was something else going on, but not sure if she really wanted to push the issue.

“....Anyway....I have the footage you wanted, Dan.” She waved the tape in her hand and stepped further into the office, setting it down on his desk.

“The Knicks game? Thanks, Nat.” Dan smiled at her. “You look nice today. Is that a new sweater?”

Natalie glanced down at said sweater before looking up at Dan. “No, I’ve had this for years. I wear it all the time.”

Dan paused, embarrassed. “Well, it suits you.”

“What do you want, Dan?” Natalie asked suspiciously.

“I’m not allowed to say that you look nice?” Dan protested.

Natalie crossed her arms over her chest. “I always look nice. But you usually don’t comment on it unless you want something.”

Dan saw Casey grinning behind Natalie’s back and shot him a glare.

“I’m not after anything, Natalie. I noticed the sweater and thought I’m mention it. It’s, uh, nice. It looks....” he trailed off, searching for something to say. “...soft.” he finished lamely.

Natalie glanced over her shoulder at Casey, gesturing in Dan’s direction. “Has he been this weird all day?”

Casey shrugged. “He’s been this weird for as long as I’ve known him. But he’s right. It’s a nice sweater. It looks good on you.”

“Okay...” Natalie began backing slowly to the door. “I’m going to go make some phone calls. Rundown is in fifteen minutes,” she reminded them before leaving the office.

Dan avoided meeting Casey’s gaze, slumping forward in his chair, resting his forehead on his desk.

“Wow,” Casey said.

“Don’t,” Dan warned.

"So that was suave and charming, huh?"

"Don't," Dan repeated.

“It looks soft?” Casey laughed.

“Don’t.” Dan said, still not looking up.

“I’m obviously going to have to take the lead on this.”

At that, Dan sat up again, alarmed. “On my love life?”

Casey nodded. “Yes.”

“I don’t understand what just happened. It’s Natalie. I can talk to Natalie like a normal person.”

“You used to be able to anyway.”

“What happened?”

“You’re in love with her.”

Dan didn’t even bother to counter that point again. “Okay, but I normally don’t have trouble talking to women I’m interested in.”

Casey considered this for a moment. “Well, it’s not just some woman you met at a bar, Dan. It's Natalie”

“It’s Natalie,” Dan said with a sigh.

“Yep.”

“So you’re talking the lead?” Dan asked.

“Yep.”

“Isn’t this the kind of thing our roles would normally be reversed on?”

Casey shrugged. “Well, sure. But normally being around a woman you like doesn’t make you so stupid that all you can think to say is that her sweater looks soft. So obviously this calls for drastic measures.” Off Dan’s horrified look he continued. “Don’t worry. You’re in good hands.”

Dan just let out a sigh, and leaned forward to bang his head on the desk again.

Casey smiled. In the long run this would make Dan happy. His misery in the meantime was just an added bonus.


End file.
